Projectile strikes vessel off coast of UAE

UAE vessel attack: Projectile strikes ship near Fujairah port

Muhammad Asghar | GlobalBeat

A commercial vessel reported a projectile impact while sailing off the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates on Thursday, maritime monitors said.

The ship remained operational and no injuries were reported, the British navy’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said in a statement.

The incident occurred near Fujairah, the UAE’s main oil-export terminal on the Gulf of Oman. The waterway has seen previous attacks on merchant ships during regional tensions.

UKMTO received a report at 07:36 local time that a projectile had hit a vessel 54 nautical miles northeast of Fujairah, the agency said. The master of the ship reported no damage to the hull or cargo and continued the planned voyage, UKMTO added.

The UAE foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Port authorities in Fujairah declined to comment when contacted by Reuters.

UAE officials have not released the vessel’s identity or flag. Shipping databases listed no port calls or unusual behavior for tankers in the area at the time.

The Gulf of Oman connects crude exporters in the Persian Gulf to global markets. Fujairah hosts the Middle East’s largest ship refueling station outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Thursday’s incident revived memories of a series of blasts that damaged 4 tankers near Fujairah in May 2019. An investigation led by the UAE attributed those explosions to limpet mines deployed by “state actors,” without naming a country.

Western officials at the time blamed Iran, which denied involvement. Tehran called the accusations “ridiculous” and demanded evidence.

The United States later tightened sanctions on Iran’s oil sector and dispatched naval escorts for commercial traffic.

Attacks on shipping decreased after Washington and Tehran opened indirect talks in 2021 on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. Negotiations stalled last year.

UKMTO urged mariners to transit the area with caution and report any suspicious activity. “Investigations are ongoing,” the agency said.

The Houthis, an Iran-aligned group fighting Yemen’s Saudi-backed government, have previously fired missiles and drones at ships they claim have links to Israel or its allies.

On 15 May the Houthis released a statement saying they targeted 3 merchant vessels in the Arabian Sea using “naval missiles.” Independent verification was not possible.

Thursday’s incident location lies roughly 300 nautical miles northwest of Yemen’s coast, beyond the range of most Houthi missiles disclosed so far.

Oil markets showed no immediate reaction. Brent crude futures traded flat at $83.42 a barrel by 11:20 GMT, exchange data showed.

A Fujairah-based ship agent said operations at the port continued normally. “No restrictions, no warnings,” the agent told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The UAE, a close U.S. security partner, hosts 5,000 American troops and the navy’s busiest overseas port call in Jebel Ali.

Washington and Gulf allies formed the International Maritime Security Construct in 2019 to patrol regional waterways following earlier vessel seizures and explosions.

France, Britain and Bahrain contribute warships to the task force. The UAE opted for a bilateral security track with the United States rather than placing forces under the coalition.

Diplomats said the UAE prefers discreet coordination to avoid provoking Tehran while maintaining trade ties with Iran across the Gulf.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations in New York did not reply to questions emailed on Thursday.

## Background

The Gulf of Oman became a flashpoint after U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed sanctions on Iran’s oil exports in 2018. Tehran warned it could close the Strait of Hormuz if its crude sales were blocked.

The strait handles about 20 percent of the world’s seaborne oil. Insurance costs for tankers transiting the region spiked 10-fold during the 2019 incidents, trade sources said.

In July 2019 Iran seized the British-flagged tanker Stena Impero near the strait, citing maritime violations. UK forces had earlier detained an Iranian tanker off Gibraltar on suspicion of delivering oil to Syria.

Both vessels were released after 2 months of negotiations. The incidents underlined the vulnerability of commercial traffic when geopolitical tensions rise.

## What’s Next

The UAE is expected to await results of a joint investigation with naval partners before deciding whether to raise security alerts or request additional patrols, a regional diplomat told Reuters.